Women Making Moves

<p>Menopause Care, Misinformation, and Advocacy: Nurse Betsy Returns</p><p>Amy Pons welcomes back repeat guest Elizabeth “Nurse Betsy” Kelly, a board-certified adult geriatric primary care nurse practitioner with extensive ICU/ER experience, work with Doctors Without Borders in Ethiopia and Malawi, and 13 years serving nursing home patients at Sinai Chicago. </p><p>They discuss rapid changes in midlife women’s health education and access to menopausal hormone treatment, emphasizing that the 2002 WHI study was widely miscommunicated, fueling fear of breast cancer and leaving many boomer women without treatment. Betsy explains that starting menopausal hormone treatment within 10 years of the last period can be protective, that transdermal estrogen reduces clot risks compared with oral forms, and that care is individualized; she notes FDA-approved indications and the lack of coverage and research for testosterone in women. They also address misinformation, holistic approaches alongside Western medicine, key supplements (magnesium, vitamin D, omega-3, L-methylfolate), and close with advocacy concerns about a 2026 federal student loan rule deeming nursing not a professional degree, restricting access to graduate programs.</p><p>00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro</p><p>01:23 Why Womens Health Matters Now</p><p>02:35 Why Betsy Is Back</p><p>04:28 WHI Study and Lost Generation</p><p>07:34 Modern MHT Benefits</p><p>17:30 MHT vs HRT Explained</p><p>22:18 Testosterone and Insurance</p><p>26:42 Healthy Masculinity and Energy</p><p>33:12 Holistic Care Meets Medicine</p><p>36:12 Supplements That Help</p><p>41:52 Avoiding Wellness Snake Oil</p><p>43:07 Where to Find Betsy</p><p>44:18 Final Advocacy Call</p><p>Find Nurse Betsy on Instagram and Facebook @Stay In Your Cortex, and at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://stayinyourcortex.com">https://stayinyourcortex.com</a></p><p>Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/womenmakingmoves.bsky.social">Bluesky.</a> Visit Amy at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org/">Unlock the Magic</a>, and follow on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><em>Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.</em></p>

<p>Wayfinding Moms: Conscious Parenting, Cycle-Breaking, and Finding Your Inner Compass</p><p>Host Amy Pons of Women Making Moves interviews Dr. Priyanka Venkataraman, a board-certified OBGYN, life and parent coach, and founder of Wayfinding Moms, about helping parents understand their nervous systems, break generational patterns, and build emotionally safe homes. </p><p>They discuss “remembering” an inner truth center/inner compass, leaving mainstream career molds after breaking points, and how grief and discomfort can guide healing and course-correction. Dr. Priyanka describes conscious parenting as doing internal work to recognize triggers and projections from upbringing and ancestry, regulate the nervous system, and teach children emotional resilience and compassionate leadership rather than chasing quick behavior fixes. She shares creating “the village,” a monthly community gathering for women, and offering a 12-week group parenting program, and provides her website, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://wayfindingmoms.com">wayfindingmoms.com</a>, for calls and registration.</p><p>00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro</p><p>02:02 Cycle Breaking and Lineage</p><p>04:22 Remembering Your Path</p><p>05:35 Inner Compass Wayfinding</p><p>07:39 Magic School and Truth</p><p>09:29 Parenting Without the Noise</p><p>10:18 Truth Center and Alignment</p><p>13:19 Grief and Course Correcting</p><p>14:59 Feeling Triggers to Heal</p><p>16:03 Ignoring the Body in Medicine</p><p>17:38 Breaking Point and Surrender</p><p>19:03 Ego After Leaving Work</p><p>19:57 Remembering What Matters</p><p>20:32 Earth School Talk With Kid</p><p>22:59 Wayfinders And Matriarchy</p><p>23:41 Building The Village</p><p>26:01 Lighthouse Healing Paradigm</p><p>27:46 Cycle Breaking And Boundaries</p><p>34:41 Conscious Parenting Explained</p><p>38:15 Schooling Choices And Values</p><p>40:17 Where To Find Wayfinding</p><p>Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/womenmakingmoves.bsky.social">Bluesky.</a> Visit Amy at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org/">Unlock the Magic</a>, and follow on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><em>Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.</em></p>

<p><strong>Women Making Moves — Episode: Audacity and Authenticity</strong></p><p><strong>Guest:</strong> Sandhya Sudhakar — Certified Coach, Enneagram Practitioner, Speaker, Facilitator, Founder of Self At Work, and Host of the <em>Working Your Way</em> podcast.</p><p><strong>Host:</strong> Amy Pons — Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic School</p><p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong> Amy sits down with Sandhya to explore what it means to show up authentically in the workplace and in life. They discuss the courage it takes to be direct, the tension between practicality and audacious dreaming, and how to navigate discomfort in a way that leads to real growth.</p><p><strong>Key Topics Discussed:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>Audacity as a guiding word</strong> — Sandhya shares why she chose "audacity" for 2026 and how she's learning to dream bigger and care less about others' perceptions.</li><li><strong>Directness vs. palatability</strong> — Both Amy and Sandhya reflect on being told to "achieve the same but be nicer," and the impossible double standard women face in the workplace.</li><li><strong>Self-abandonment and trade-offs</strong> — A nuanced conversation about when to walk away from misaligned work and when financial safety takes priority, and the long-term cost of forsaking yourself.</li><li><strong>The learning zone</strong> — Sandhya breaks down the comfort zone / learning zone / panic zone framework and how to discern good discomfort from harmful discomfort.</li><li><strong>Generational dynamics at work</strong> — How Boomers, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha each play a role in reshaping workplace culture.</li><li><strong>Enneagram in teams</strong> — How Sandhya uses the Enneagram to help high-achieving leaders diagnose team dynamics and lead more effectively.</li><li><strong>Speaking up and truth-telling</strong> — Amy shares a personal story about confronting inappropriate behavior and the backlash that followed.</li></ul><p><strong>Where to Find Sandhya:</strong></p><ul><li>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://selfatwork.com">selfatwork.com</a></li><li>Podcast: <em>Working Your Way</em> (available on YouTube and all audio platforms)</li></ul><p><strong>Where to Find Amy:</strong></p><ul><li>Website: <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org">https://unlockthemagic.org</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a></li></ul><p><strong>Closing Thought:</strong> "Having less so I could do more — simplifying, and going much bigger with fewer things." — Sandhya Sudhakar</p>

<p><strong>S7 Ep7 — Dr. Tamara Beckford</strong></p><p><strong>Women Making Moves Podcast</strong></p><p><strong>Host:</strong> Amy Pons, Founder of Unlock the Magic Coaching, Healing and Magic School</p><p><strong>Guest:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford — Board-certified emergency medicine physician, bestselling author, international speaker, and founder of Truly Balanced Wellness Care</p><p><strong>Episode Summary:</strong> Amy sits down with Dr. Tamara Beckford to explore the intersection of traditional medicine, holistic healing, and the powerful journey women experience through perimenopause and menopause. They discuss reclaiming the magic of womanhood, honoring the body's natural cycles, the importance of slowing down, and building an intentional life beyond the "go, go, go" mentality.</p><p><strong>Topics Covered:</strong></p><ul><li>3:23 Perimenopause — embracing the biological experience</li><li>5:49 Slowing down &amp; the "to-feel list"</li><li>8:04 Sound baths, sacral womb healing &amp; energy work10:00Healing beyond traditional medicine &amp; the power of timeframes</li><li>14:57 Heart disease as a silent killer in women</li><li>18:26 Women pushing through pain &amp; learned endurance</li><li>21:43 Generational shame around menstruation &amp; naming your womb</li><li>25:04 Menopause as reemergence — wisdom, not decline30:00Writing your own story &amp; challenging "I have to"</li><li>33:22 Dr. Tamara's telemedicine practice &amp; expanding to 4 states</li><li>35:14 "Intentional outweighs impressive" — building a slower, richer life</li><li>41:02 What patients truly want — time, compassion, listening</li><li>44:00 Advice for finding the right care provider</li><li>47:06 Closing remarks — fierce, ferocious, and forging the next path</li></ul><p><strong>Key Quotes:</strong></p><ul><li><em>"How do you wanna feel?"</em> — Amy on replacing the to-do list with a "to-feel list"</li><li><em>"Intentional outweighs impressive every single day."</em> — Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><em>"Our body sheds, prepares, and renews for the next phase — over and over."</em> — Dr. Tamara</li></ul><p><strong>Where to Find Dr. Tamara Beckford:</strong></p><ul><li><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><strong>Facebook:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><strong>Instagram:</strong> Dr. Tamara Beckford</li><li><strong>TikTok:</strong> @trulybalancedwc</li></ul><p><strong>Featured In:</strong> Fox 26, Forbes, Yahoo Finance, Voyage Houston, LinkedIn News, Rolling Out Magazine, Kevin MD</p><p><strong>Books:</strong> <em>Made For More</em>, <em>Made For More Too</em>, <em>Thriving After Burnout</em></p><p><strong>Practice:</strong> Truly Balanced Wellness Care — concierge telemedicine for menopausal care, hormone balancing, and weight care (serving Texas, Michigan, Georgia, and Iowa)</p><p><strong>Where to Find Amy, Women Making Moves, and Unlock the Magic: </strong></p><ul><li><strong>LinkedIn:</strong> Amy Pons, Unlock the Magic, Magic School, Women Making Moves</li><li><strong>Website: </strong><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org">https://unlockthemagic.org</a> </li><li><strong>Instagram:</strong> <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Unlock the Magic</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Women Making Moves</a></li><li><strong>TikTok:</strong> @chicagosfavewitchycoach</li></ul><p>Please leave a rating and review on your favorite platform, thank you!</p>

<p>The Future of Working Motherhood: Flexibility, Ambition, and Real Support After Maternity Leave</p><p>Amy Pons hosts Alexa Starks, maternity leave coach and founder of Executive Moms, to discuss reshaping maternity leave and return-to-work experiences and the findings from Executive Moms’ Future of Working Motherhood 2026 report. </p><p>They reflect on the need to deconstruct harmful workplace systems, the lack of support for mothers returning from leave, and how simple supports like mentorship can improve retention. </p><p>Alexa shares key data: 40% of women leave their job within a year of returning from maternity leave, yet 97% would stay if truly supported; the report also found no “ambition gap,” with mothers reporting equal or greater ambition after having kids. A major takeaway was that flexible work design (remote/hybrid/part-time) mattered more than longer leave. Alexa also previews a TED Talk in Rotterdam and the launch of Mothered Magazine.</p><p>01:09 Coaching and Paradigm Shift</p><p>03:02 Aha Moments in Corporate</p><p>05:22 Maternity Return Support Systems</p><p>06:48 Report Findings and Retention Stats</p><p>09:02 Ambition Gap Myth Debunked</p><p>11:43 Burnout and Hands On Work</p><p>13:54 Workplace Bullying and Boundaries</p><p>15:20 Surprising Data on Flexibility</p><p>16:56 Flexibility Tops Requests</p><p>17:15 Ambition And The 97 Percent</p><p>17:52 Survey Logistics And Reach</p><p>18:34 Return To Office Pushback</p><p>20:51 Why Leaders Cling To Control</p><p>22:42 TED Talk And Moving Abroad</p><p>25:04 Launching Mothered Magazine</p><p>27:04 Super Bowl Holiday Hypocrisy</p><p>28:46 Advice For The 97 And 40</p><p>31:06 Where To Find The Report</p><p>31:32 Feminine Strength Closing</p><p>Find the 2026 'Future of Working Motherhood' report along with key updates from Executive Moms <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.executivemoms.co/">here</a>, and follow Alexa on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexastarks/">LinkedIn</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/alexa.starks/">Instagram</a>. </p><p>Thank you for tuning in to Women Making Moves, be sure to rate and subscribe to the show on your favorite podcast platform and follow along on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/women_making_moves_?igsh=ZWVqdmhxbmdjc2d0&amp;utm_source=qr">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://bsky.app/profile/womenmakingmoves.bsky.social">Bluesky.</a> Visit Amy at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://unlockthemagic.org/">Unlock the Magic</a>, and follow on <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.instagram.com/unlockthemagic_/profilecard/?igsh=MTVjNm0zY2t5NGVlMg==">Instagram</a> and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://linkedin.com/in/amyponsismagic">LinkedIn</a>.</p><p><em>Women Making Moves is for personal use only and general information purposes, the show host cannot guarantee the accuracy of any statements from guests or the sufficiency of the information. This show and host is not liable for any personal actions taken.</em></p>